I <3 public radio.
I love public radio.
But do you ever hear all those organizations, foundations and people who support public radio?
Don’t know any of them?
Yeah, me too.
So give me 30 seconds and I’ll tell you who they REALLY are! Take a listen!
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Just a few moments ago, I sent out my “press release” on my burrito preference change out to my Twitter family. I did not put the Qdoba twitter name in my post, but someone at their corporate office was sure searching for their name. Within MINUTES, I received this tweet. I’m even more loyal than ever!! How great is this?!?
They love me! They really love me!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MATT HAZE
MATTHAZE.COM
MATT HAZE CHANGES LONGTIME PREFERENCE IN BURRITO COMPANIES FROM CHIPOTLE TO QDOBA
Keep reading to learn how three pieces of chicken can teach you a lesson about YOUR business.
Matt Haze, the radio, television and internet personality known for sending useless tweets and posting pointless news stories on Facebook, made a monumental announcement today regarding a well-known eating preference of his. After being a diehard Chipotle fan and supporter for years, Matt announced he has changed his preference for the best burrito around to competing company Qdoba.
God forbid you get extra chicken on accident!
“After seeing a Chipotle staffer remove extra chicken she accidentally put on my bowl this afternoon, I knew a switch had to me made,” said Mr. Haze, who has been known by the tens of people that read his content as a loyal fan of the burrito factory house. Mr. Haze continued: “The fine staff at Qdoba has been making an effort in recent weeks to put EXTRA chicken on my order, not watching to make sure that the exact amount is on there. This says so much about their love for their customers, and not their bottom line.”
After throwing a hissy fit in line over the fact that his burrito construction specialist actually removed three small pieces of chicken after putting it into his bowl, Mr. Haze also remembered the amount of choices at Qdoba were also a sign of their true commitment to customer service. ”Having the option to add Queso to a burrito or bowl to make my fat stomach satisfied is also a major factor in my decision today. Once you’ve had Queso on your burrito, it’s tough to walk away from such a satisfying and fatty option.”
one word: Queso. on a burrito. ok that's 4 words.
Mr. Haze hopes his decision to go public with this decision can help all companies, not just burrito making machines, to see the little things in the process of building customer loyalty can help make or break a relationship. ”I’m not here to bash Chipotle like a nasty ex-girlfriend who believes you broke her heart because she called you 5 times in 24 hours after she couldn’t get a clue. I’m here to hopefully educate not just these great food operators, but all businesses, that the little things we see and notice in the experience of working with you and your service can make or break a deal. Sure, the ultimate goal and result matters and that’s what you’re hired for. But the little hiccups along the way can make or break the potential for a happy customer, referrals and recommendations to others.”
Mr. Haze plans to frequent both restaurants, but knows where his loyalty now lays. ”Three little pieces of chicken killed it for me. Will YOUR client say the same about you and YOUR services about one or two little things? Take a look and keep that in mind. It may keep them from going online or, even worse, their friends and family and ruin the potential for referral business. Or prevent them from making really stupid and pointless press releases about you on their blog.”
mmmmmm.... toooooyyyyyyyy
BlackBerry is getting tricky in the smart phone wars.
According to the New York Daily News, BlackBerry is tricking men into using their devices thanks to the help of beautiful actresses in New York.
Yes, you read that right. A woman will flirt with you JUST for you to use her BlackBerry.
But sorry RIM, you can’t fool me THAT easy!
Find out WHY in today’s 2 minute podcast on BlackBerry’s new, creative marketing campaign…
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Give us your tired... your poor... AND your MONEY!!!
What a shock. A government organization raises rates on the users because it can’t find a way to fix a budget shortage.
That’s EXACTLY what New Jersey Transit did today. Rates are going up an average of 22% statewide starting May 1st.
And as a current customer, I’m f*&%$#@ livid about this!
I’m livid because there is a much BETTER way to fix this problem. A way that is a long-term fix to the solution and not a quick hole for a yearly budget.
Listen to today’s 2 minute podcast to hear how we can fix New Jersey Transit that is a win-win for EVERYONE involved. And makes life so much easier for all as well.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Cleveland rocks!
Cleveland’s favorite son, Drew Carey, recently put together a great video series on his (and my) hometown. The series, developed by The Reason Foundation, looks at Cleveland’s past, its current state, and discusses real ideas how to get the city on the right path to greatness again. Very well done series.
Then I read THIS editorial in Cleveland Scene, written by Frank Lewis.
Very quickly I realized that everything wrong with Cleveland can be summed up in ONE WORD.
Listen to today’s 2 minute podcast to find out what that word is… and what Cleveland TRULY needs to do to get back on the path to prosperity.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Have you seen this mouse???
There’s currently a warrant out for Mickey Mouse. Pissed off New Yorkers are going to tar and feather the mouse in the middle of Central Park for being a greedy bastard.
While you were asleep, Cablevision pulled WABC Channel 7 from its lineup of channels. That’s right… the flagship of the ABC Television Network was pulled from the channel lineup for many customers in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.
Disney, which is WABC’s parent company, wants Cablevision to fork over $40 million a year to carry WABC’s signal on its channel lineup, according to an article in Business Week. This is on top of the already $200 million the cable operator pays for the cable channels that Disney operates and distributes.
Why is Disney doing this?
Simple.
The network television business model is dying. It can’t survive in its current form. Cable channels are thriving because it has two main forms of revenue: subscription costs paid for by cable operators and advertising.
Network television only gets money from advertising.
So what do the big boys think they can do? Do EXACTLY what one business model is able to do to make up the loss for the others. But it doesn’t work that way.
Network television is in a desperate attempt to find revenue. As advertising dollars start to dwindle thanks to the expansion of the media and targeted ways to get your message out, the network’s generic message branding options are not as necessary or as cost effective to businesses as they once were.
Simply put: they’re desperate. And they’re trying anything they can.
In this shifting media time, the networks and local affiliates also need to learn that it’s time for THEM to change and let their business model evolve to the next level.
Many of the “traditional media” outlets are scared of what us new media people are doing. They see competition because we are giving content to people on their level, how they want it and WHEN they want it.
Instead of fighting it, big networks and local affiliates, it’s time to ADAPT and join the new world of media.
Your business model is dying. Don’t try to put a band-aid on something that needs to radically change.
Just change it.
It’s no secret that one of the keys to be successful is to make yourself stand out, especially if you’re in a crowded field.
This guy wins that award.
Last night during a trip to Barnes and Noble, I went in to pick up Seth Godin‘s new book Linchpin.
While taking a friendly stroll through the Business section, THIS book caught my eye and made me stop for a moment to look.
I'm sorry, what?
Do I need to explain why? Nope.
It’s unique. Different. And, quite honestly, made me wonder a bit.
I love books and ideas that do that to me.
So I walked out of Barnes and Noble with TWO books last night.
Mike Michalowicz, kudos to you. You caught my attention. This should be interesting. 
This depresses me and makes me want to drink
Never saw this coming. Really. Total shocker.
MTV has removed the “Music Television” line from its logo and marketing.
I believe my friends over at RAMP (Radio and Music Pros) said it best and exactly how I feel about Viacom’s decision in their daily email this morning…
“After several years, the concept of truth in advertising has finally taken hold at MTV, where the term “Music Television” has now disappeared from the channel’s logo — and it’s about time, since the channel that brought you such high-quality, award-winning, IQ-enhancing programming as The Hills, 16 and Pregnant, Real World-Road Rules Challenge: The Ruins and its latest Guido-tastic breakout hit, Jersey Shore, hasn’t really been known for running actual music videos for a few years now. The new logo sports the familiar MTV design, but now features pictures of the channel’s latest batch of “talent” — like Snooki.
MTV threw its audience a frickin’ bone last spring when it introduced AMtv, a block of videos running from 3-9am, but not even MTV2 — which took on the mantle of airing music videos when MTV dove headfirst into the shallow end of the reality TV kiddie pool — is really doing anything musically outside of that block. “The people who watch it today, they don’t refer to MTV as music television,” MTV Head of Marketing Tina Exarhos told the Los Angeles Times. “They don’t have the same emotional connection that, say, the people who are writing about [the logo change] do.” Translation: Those of us who grew up with MTV and remember it fondly for playing videos are now officially old, and we are cordially invited to suck it.”
In Snooki we trust the future of America! *fist pump*
On this week’s WarriorTalk podcast, I speak with Dave Jenks, the co-author of the Millionaire Real Estate Agent and Millionaire Real Estate Investor, on the power of lead generation… and why it’s SO important to grow your business!
Listen to the episode on the WarriorTalk player here: http://tinyurl.com/fewshows
Last night, CNBC aired a brand new documentary called “The NEW Age of Walmart,” a follow up from their extremely popular series in 2004. After watching it, I realized that CNBC forgot part of the story… and it has nothing to do with Walmart itself. Check it out!
We’ve been busy at Free Enterprise Warriors…
We’ve added 2 new podcasts for your listening enjoyment…
1) Laurie and I interviewed Alex Charfen, the creator and CEO of CDPE, Certified Distressed Property Experts. Alex turned a passion of helping homeowners in tough situations into an online community of over 10,000 to take that passion nationwide.
2) I talk with Dave Jenks, co-author of The Millionaire Real Estate Agent and Millionaire Real Estate Investor, about time management. What do we need to do to stay on track? If we’re all cluttered and confused, how do we start on the path of getting in order?
Check out these shows at http://tinyurl.com/fewshows.
Onward!
I’m really excited to announce that I’ll be a panelist at the Social Media Program being brought to you by the Union Square Partnership on Monday, October 19th at the W Hotel at Union Square in New York City. Details soon!
So yesterday, a member of the US Marshall’s office was on CNBC talking about selling off a piece of property. I thought I’d give the federal government some sales advice after watching that…
LOVE this story! Last week, I was stopping by a local coffee house in Cleveland when I saw three women riding their bikes. After checking out the website on their shirts, jointhecycle.com, I realized there’s a fantastic story here! They’re cycling across the United States! Nothin’ but themselves, their stuff and their bikes. Awesome story, awesome passion! Check out my interview with them!
Also check out their website, www.jointhecycle.com.
It’s no secret that most real estate agents seem to always be behind the times when it comes to technology.
If you don’t believe me, ask the real estate agent I tried to send a referral to last year whose response to me after asking for her email address was “oh I don’t do email, I don’t have time, just fax me the info.”
Fax.
F%$*!#@ fax.
It seems every few years there’s a new toy or new technology that is about 1-2 years old that the industry picks up as the latest and greatest thing. It’s the big buzz word around offices and tour. No one seems to understand it or why it can help, but they want it anyway.
So it isn’t a shock that so many real estate agents STILL think that taking the same 10 photos of a property they put in the MLS and have them move in different directions to really bad royalty-free music in a video is a fantastic and fancy virtual tour that will bring the buyers.
*rolls eyes*
Do you really expect THAT will entice a potential buyer to take a look at the home? How does moving the same photos with fancy old school slogans like “welcoming foyer,” “open kitchen,” “cozy, neutral family room” entice a potential buyer to pick up the phone, drive to the house and take time to look at it?
Most people are savvy enough to realize it’s the same pictures you have up on the site.
Sure it’s cost effective. There’s a service out there that is only $100 a year for unlimited virtual tours that look just like that. I won’t name names since I don’t believe in that product in any way, shape or form.
More importantly, how much of a disservice is it to use ancient and cheesy tool to market a home? If a seller is paying 6% or MORE for an agent to sell it, isn’t it pathetic that an agent can’t even give their client something they can be proud of?
Some agents out there get it.
Take Renee Fishman.
I had a great, productive conversation with Renee this week, who is an agent with Halsted Property in New York City.
Renee and her gang get it.
I mentioned to her my thoughts on virtual tours, and see said something that surprised me. “I’m over virtual tours. I’ve moved on.” She told me to check out what she is doing video-wise.
Look at one great example…
People buy more than just that one single house. They don’t buy just the walls, the foundation, the electrical system. They buy the neighborhood, they buy the community. They buy the people. They buy the feeling that comes with their new hometown. They buy what they can do on a Saturday afternoon. They buy what they can walk out their door or drive down the street and do.
And Renee shows it so well. So well done!
The days of doing business the old way are long gone. It’s time for you to get with the times.
So how can YOU get started in making your properties stand out?
You don’t need a full blown production company with Sony HD cameras, producers and a host. (albeit if you want to do that, call me… I want to talk to you!)
But here’s what you CAN do.
Right now, you can jump in your car and run to a local big box store. For $150, you can pick up a Flip cam, a very easy to use all inclusive video recorder. You can go to your listing, hit record and give me the same tour you would give a potential buyer right there on the spot. Upload it on YouTube and put the URL with your listing in the MLS.
And just like that, you’re doing something that NO ONE ELSE in your market is doing.
Buyers are savvy. They have so many options right now when they’re looking at houses. How are you going to stand out? How are you going to put the old sales tactics of years past away and build a relationship with a future buyer online?
Let me know. I’d love to hear what you’re doing.
Onward!
Since the local auto repair shop chain doesn’t have wifi (I’d rather have wifi than old copies of newspapers, Men’s Health, nasty coffee and a 13″ TV showing reruns of Judge Judy), I walked down the street to a coffee house to get some work done while the auto is serviced.
On the counter of this nice little coffee shop sits 4 different piles of business cards from 4 real estate agents. Each agent is from a different company, representing a nice selection of what’s available professionally in this Northeast Ohio community.
Out of curiosity, I decide to do a little research quickly.
If I were buying a home today and had to choose these 4 agents purely on what I can find on their website, who would I choose?
Let’s start the fun…
Agent #1 from ERA: No website listed. But this agent is nice enough to give me 4 different phone numbers, including a home number, as well as an email address. I don’t want to talk to you yet, I want to search for homes. There even isn’t any information about the agent, but their headshot is huge! If only you could turn the ego off and give me info. I am greedy, I want info and I want it now. Cya. *throws card away*
Agent #2 from Coldwell Banker: She’s cute!! Okay, okay, back to the professional side. She only gives me 3 phone numbers and an email address, and once again NO WEBSITE LISTED! But oh wait, she’s a member of the “Coldwell Banker Chairman’s Club”… whatever the hell that means. Maybe we can get coffee and I can learn about what she loves to do on a Friday night and if she’d like to go on a nice romantic dinner on a boat on Lake Erie, watch the sunset and talk about short sales and their effects on the foreclosure rate in Cuyahoga County, but I wouldn’t buy a house from her. *throws card away*
Agent #3 from Keller Williams Realty: Oh good, a KW agent! They’re smart! I’m biased since I host, write and produce a podcast with the company’s former VP of Research and Development and a market center owner. Very nice card… and a team too! One phone number for each person… which is good, I don’t want to have to hunt you down on the phone. Wooohooo, there’s a website listed!!! Once I reach the website, THERE ISN’T A PLACE FOR ME TO SEARCH FOR HOMES IN THE MULTIPLE LISTING SERVICE!!! Sure I can see their ‘featured properties’ but I’m a greedy mofo, I want it all and I want it NOW! Oh so big fail. No info, no business. *throws card out*
Agent #4 from a local family owned company: What is it with agents giving me 20,000 phone numbers?! I’m not going to hunt you down people and I don’t want to talk to voicemail… that’s so 1998. I’m already turned off from the fact that she attempts to be cute in her slogan using her last name, Kidd. “I’m not KIDDing around! For a serious REALTOR, call..” UGHHHHH!!!!! I want info, not bad humor. Okay, she lists two different websites. One is her company’s website, which would make me wonder why you would want me to step away from your personal brand and go to the company brand, but whatever. The other domain listed is hers connected with her company. It directs me to her personal website. Oh good, I can finally search for a home!!! Albeit I’m already turned off by the slogan, but at least I have the info I need.
I’m a 27 year old small business owner that does business all over the world. Contrary to what my ex-girlfriends may say, I ain’t dumb. I don’t want catchy slogans or home phone numbers. You’re not going to win me over because your company spent $200 on a plaque that says “you sold alot, congrats, now go sell more, we need to keep the lights on.” I want to be able to take your card, get info about you and find homes online anytime, anywhere. If you won’t give it to me, I guarantee there are agents out there that will.
Is this a sign that the industry is that behind on the times? Haven’t agents learned yet that catchy slogans, big headshots, awards/memberships in clubs and 40,000 phone numbers will NOT win me over business? You may be the biggest real estate expert in the area, but I sure can’t tell by the little card you left on the counter. It’s NOT going to win my business.
Save your business cards. Don’t bother.
Thoughts?
Jul 23
This week, we continue our discussion with Dave Jenks about passions and how life’s journey helps to mold you as a business owner. Also, Laurie Hathorn and I discuss goal setting and how to take a passion or idea and make it a business!
Listen HERE!
Of course, the mainstream media has to find a negative spin for the 4th of July holiday. They seem to have a habit of doing that, no matter what time of the year or what the story is. Normally though it has key words such as jobs, economy, greedy Wall Street, greedy executive, etc.
Luckily, they only used one of their new favorite key words this time: economy.
This time around, it’s fireworks talk.
“Due to the sluggish economy, some municipalities [big word for CITY] have had to cut down on their 4th of July fireworks show or scrap it altogether. Many citizens have had to travel to nearby communities if they are looking for a patriotic show in the sky for their family this year.”
Okay. So? How is this a problem?
I see it as a good thing. A VERY good thing.
Let’s take a look at my hometown of Cleveland, Ohio.
According to cleveland.com, there are over 10 different fireworks shows on the west side of Cleveland and its suburbs ALONE. That’s a whole lot of shows for half of a region of only 2 million.
According to a quick search on the intrawebs, a 30 minute firework show can run between $30,000-$60,000 with the staff to run it. I’m assuming that’s not including the public service staff (police, fire, EMS, other city officials) to keep traffic and crowd control at a reasonable level for an already disgruntled group of people in one spot. (Don’t tell me you actually like dealing with the crowds, crying and complaining kids and uncomfortable feel of laying on a towel on very uncomfortable ground… or maybe that’s just me).
If we use really quick just-to-prove-a-quick-point math… 10 fireworks shows at $50k apiece (I like big and fancy) is $500,000 total.
That’s a whole lot of money for a whole lot of fireworks. Especially if some of these communities pull in a very small crowd for these shows (more shows, less people per show). Especially when probably half of those communities are having financial issues.
Let’s pretend here that these communities all put their resources together in the name of financial responsibility to its residents and had just FIVE fireworks shows (and trust me this really IS pretend… if you think this could and would actually happen, I have some beach front property in Alaska I think you’d love to hear about).
That’s only $250,000. If each city donated to the pot, all the communities could save alot of money and, in theory, buy a bigger and badder fireworks show for its residents… IF they could work together and pool their resources together! They could even save money on the public service staff that would be needed. So much money could be saved that would lead to cities being able to keep the services that actually MEAN something to their residents.
From a safety issue… imagine how they could save! Forget the financial savings on insurance (and you thought your car rate keeps going up), think about the safety of your citizens watching it. Every year, people are killed due to an accident or their pure stupidity. Less firework shows, less chance of accidents or Darwinism at work.
But we’re talking about politics here. We’re talking about egos here. We’re talking about rivalries here. We’re talking about personal feelings here (if you don’t believe me, you haven’t been involved in politics).
So I guess we’ll just leave this pipe dream here online.
Happy 4th of July. God Bless America.
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